Push on-push off single button switch



June 24, 1952 E. A. MILLER PUSH ON PUSH OFF SINGLE BUTTON. swzwca FiledApril 23, 1948 EDWIN AUGUST MILLER Wm? Patented June 24, 1952 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 2,601,545 PUsH Q's-Poss OFF SINGLE Barron SWITCHEdwin August Miller, Fair-field; Conn. Application April 23, 1948,Serial No. 22,903 1 Claim. (01. zon l-59) This invention relates to pushon-push off single button switches, and more particularly to that typeof switches the casing of which is installed within a bore in a panelsuch as an airplane instrument panel.

The objects of the invention are to provide a switch having a singlepush-button operating a double throw switch means for each push thereof;to provide a faster snap-action and wider contact pressure angle due tothe movement of both ends of the tension blade in opposite directionsout of its normal plane and thus producing a higher contact pressurethan is found in any other type of switches; to provide a method ofmaking contact that prevents breaking of made contacts under vibratoryconditions; and to provide a switch with self-cleaning and wipingcontacts.

Referring to the accompanying drawin the Figure 1 is an uprightelevation of the improved switch; Figure 2 is a similar elevation butillustrating a portion of casing in cross section to expose interiorparts in one position; Figure 3 3 illustrates said portion of casing incross-section to expose said interior parts in another position; Figure4 is a fixed support in perspective for holding an interior rocker part;Figure 5 is an edge View of a tension blade carrying contacts; Figure 6is a front View of said tension blade; Figure 7 is a return-spring forpush-but ton; Figure 8 illustrates bracketed push-button, rocker withconnecting spring; and Figure '9 is a cross-section of an insulationmember with stops and terminals.

With more particular reference to the accompanying drawing, the numeralI designates the entire device, as illustrated by the Figure 1. Thecasing 2 is substantially of cylindrical tubing form of preferredstructure for installation within a bore provided therefor by a panel,such as an airplane instrument panel (not illustrated) but may be of anyother desired form. The face 23 of the casing 2 has apg-reater exteriordiameter than that of the portion insertable within a bore. The face 23is provided with a central opening 4 within which to accommodate thepush-button 5 keyed therein against rotation. An exterior portion of thecylindrical casing 2 is threaded, as at 6, to correspond to the tappednut (not illustrated) which holds the device 1 Within the bore.

Within the cylindricalqtubular portion of the casing 2 there is insertedan insulation sleeve 2A having a washer 3 resting upon its upper edge 2Cand, within the sleeve 2A a transverse extending supporting elementcomprising an upper 2 U-shaped portion 1 having a central bore 8 throughboth parallel walls 9, a floor opening IE and a pair of standards II,each having an inwardly projecting boss l2 adapted to be shapedV'Vitl'iili depressions I'ZA provided by the insulation plug 30.

A rocker element R, within the U-shaped upper portion i of saidsupporting element, is mounted therein between said parallel walls 9 bymeans of the pivot 14 for a limited movement therein and within thefloor opening Ill. The upper edge of the rocker R is provided With acentrally notched seat portion l5, and upon both sides of said seat 1 5the rocker R is provided with a downwardly extending oblique cam surfaceIt and the stop shoulder 11. A central bore l8 through the rocker 1i, isprovided to register with the bore 8 or the parallel Walls 9 of the U-shaped portion 1. 'Tn'e ower tapered end ill of the rocker R is providedwit'h a small opening [9A holding one end of the coil spring 20, therocker R and the coil spring 20 together comprising the compression arrnstructure of the switch device. The normal at-rest positions of thecompression arm structure R and 20 relative to the tilted tension blade2| are over-centered, as illustrated by the Figures 2 and 3.

The tension blade 2| is a metal plate having side arms 21A, theconnection to portion 2IB and the bottom 21C enclosing the opening 2ID.Projecting from the bottom 2| C into the opening 21D is a short arm 2iE. Projecting from opposite side surfaces of thejbottom 2| C arecontacts Cl and C2 on one side and contacts C3 and C4 on the oppositeside, thesecontacts preferably being made of silver. The contact 0'4 isnot illustrated, it being hidden behind the Contact C2 in the Figure 5".

The tension blade 2| ishung over the U-shaped portion 1 thus positionedwithin the opening 2 ID with the top 213 resting within the notch E5 ofthe rocker R. The spring 29', carried by the rocker R and movablethrough the opening 2 ID, has its free end placed over the tapered shortarm 2I E,-*'the coil spring 20 "maintaining the tensioh blade 21 yildin'gly ce'hnected with the rocker R.

The usn=bu tton 5 has a longitudinally extending cavity 23 with aslightly flexible rubber filler 24 therein. A rod 125, with an up-perportion 26 embedded within the filler 24, has a free end extendingdownwardly into open space within the interior of the casing 2 above,but normally spaced from, the rocker R, as illustrated by the Figure 3.The button ,5 is provided with the coil with contacts C5,

said washer 3 and bearing against the bottom of the button 5.

The lower portion of the casing 2 is provided with an insulation plug 30having the exteriorly projection barrier 3| extending therebelow.Embedded and being supported within the insulation plug 30 are metalposts providing above the plug 30 the pairs of slightly yieldable stopsSl, S2, S3 and S4, each being provided, if desired, C6, C1 and C8,respectively, for engagement of the contacts C5 and C6 by the saidcontacts Cl and C2, and the engagement of the contacts C1 and C8 by thecontacts C3 and C4, respectively, carried by the tension blade 2 l. Thelower ends of the embedded metal posts providing the terminals 32, 33,34 and 35.

A pin 30A may be driven through the casing 2, the sleeve 2A and theinsulation plug 30 to secure the insulation plug 30 within the casing 2,provided that such pin 30A is not driven through or close to theembedded posts or the standards ll.

The operation of the push-button 5 by pressing downwardly from theposition illustrated by the Figure 3, carries the rod 25 in directalignment with the pivot l4 and onto the right-hand cam-surface l6 ofthe top edge of the rocker R in the rockers tipped position asillustrated by the Figure 3. Upon engaging the cam-surface Hi the rod 25is carried farther down the camsurface [6 until engaging the shoulder I1and operating the rocker R to the position illustrated by the Figure 2.The compression arm structure It and is thus moved through the opening 2ID from the over-centered position with respect to the tipped blade 2|,illustrated by the Figure 3 to the opposite over-centered position,illustrated by the Figure 2, having passed through a center whereby thespring portion of the compression structure was put under greatercompression due to the shortening of the distance between the wireopening ISA in the lower end of the rocker R and the spring supportingbase of the tension blade arm ZIE, and the upward bodily movement of thetension blade 2| as the seat I5 of the rocker It carries the upperextremity of the tension blade 2| into alignment with the pivot 14. Itis the longitudinal movement of the tension blade 2| that provides thewiping, self-cleaning movement. Upon the compression arm structurepassing through the opening MD, the tension blade 2|, by means of therelease of the compression arm structure, is bodily moved and with asnap-action tips the contact carrying blade extremity thereby breakingaway the contacts Cl and C3 from the stops SI and S3, respectively, andengaging contacts C2 and C4 with the stops S3 and S4.

Upon a second operation of the push-button 5, the reverse movement isaccomplished whereby C2 and C4 are broken away from the stops S2 and S4and the contacts Cl and C3 are reengaged with the stops SI and S3.

It is to be noted that in adapting the rod to follow down either of thecam-surfaces 16' and to operate the rocker R, the filler 24 dampens thevibration so that it minimizes the movement of the rod 25 off its normalalignment with the button '5 and the pivot 14.

The improved electric switch device disclosed above provides for theoperation of the switch by means of a single push-button 5 of which onepush causes the breaking 01f of contact engagement with one circuit andmakes contact engagement with a different and separate circuit.

The next push of the same button breaks off contact engagement with saidseparate circuit and remakes contact engagement with said firstmentionedcircuit. Thus a single button control of a switch device eliminatesconfusion to the operator; for two or more push-buttons necessary to theoperation of the device can be confusing at times.

The method of construction herein disclosed is especially adapted toresist shock, vibration and acceleration effects, such as is present inairplanes, guided missiles, rockets and guns.

Contacts can be arranged in connection with the improved form of switchdevice for either single pole double throw or single pole doublethrow-double break for isolated circuits. The employment of slightlyyieldable stops prevents contact bounce and consequent arcing ofelectric current.

I claim:

A switch mechanism having a casing; relatively spaced yielding stopsprovided by said casing; a fixed support within saidcasing; a rockerpivotally mounted for two extreme positions upon said fixed support,said rocker having on its upper portion relatively, spaced shoulders; atension blade adapted to be flexed and having an opening therethroughwithin which said rocker is positioned, said blade being suspended fromsaid upper portion of said rocker between said shoulders; contacts withwhich opposite lower surfaces of said blade are provided each forengagement with one or the other of said yielding stops; a coiled wirespring of which the lower end is hinged to the lower portion of saidblade within said opening and the upper end of said spring is attachedtothe lower end portion of said rocker; a single push button having acavity therein and being slidably mounted within the upperpart of saidcasing, the manually pressable button having a spring-pressed return; alaterally yieldable filler body inserted within said cavity said fillerbody holding therein the upper end of a rigid rod, the free end of whichbeing normally at rest in open space within said casing above saidrocker but upon each pushed movement of said button the said free end ofsaid rod is adapted to engage one of said shoulders to pivotally operatesaid rocker from one to the other of said extreme positions, the saidrocker carrying overhead in one direction the upper portion of saidblade while the springattached lower portion of said rocker is carriedin the opposite direction against a further increased compression ofsaid spring adapted to move the contact extremity of said blade from oneto the other of said yielding stops; and a pressure-angle of high degreeprovided between the said spring and the said blade, said pressure beingaugmented by the release of the flexed condition of said blade as thesaid blade approaches its overcentering point.

EDWIN AUGUST MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 211,600 Snediker Jan. 21, 18791,502,785 Kerwin July 29, 1924 1,569,416 Bates Jan. 12, 1926 2,135,864Weber Nov. 8 1938

